Massospora

Genus of fungi From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Massospora

Massospora is a genus of fungi in the Entomophthoraceae family, within the order Entomophthorales of the Zygomycota.[3][4][5] This has been supported by molecular phylogenetic analysis (Gryganskyi et al. 2012).[6]

Quick Facts Scientific classification, Type species ...
Massospora
Thumb
Massospora cicadina
Scientific classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Fungi
Division: Entomophthoromycota
Class: Entomophthoromycetes
Order: Entomophthorales
Family: Entomophthoraceae
Genus: Massospora
Peck, 1879[1][2]
Type species
Massospora cicadina
Peck (1879)
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It includes more than a dozen obligate, sexually transmissible pathogenic species that infect (and kill) adult gregarious cicadas (Hemiptera) worldwide. At least two species are known to produce psychoactive compounds during infection:[7][8] M. cicadina is known to produce cathinone; M. platypediae or M. levispora produces psilocybin.[9]

Named in 1879 by the American botanist Charles Horton Peck (1833–1917).[1]

The genus name of Massospora was derived from two words in the Greek, masso which means 'to grind' and spora for 'spore'. This then describes the complete disintegration of the host-insect's internal tissues eventually leading to a (described by the author as), "pulverulent mass of spores within" that can be seen after the terminal parts of the abdomen fall off.

Species

As accepted by Species Fungorum:[10]

  • Massospora carinetae R.S. Soper (1974)
  • Massospora cicadettae R.S. Soper (1981)
  • Massospora cicadina Peck (1878)
  • Massospora diceroproctae R.S. Soper (1974)
  • Massospora diminuta R.S. Soper (1974)
  • Massospora dorisianae R.S. Soper (1974)
  • Massospora fidicinae R.S. Soper (1974)
  • Massospora levispora R.S. Soper (1963)
  • Massospora ocypetes R.S. Soper (1974)
  • Massospora pahariae R.S. Soper (1981)
  • Massospora platypediae R.S. Soper (1974)
  • Massospora spinosa Cif., A.A. Machado & Vittal (1956)
  • Massospora tettigatis R.S. Soper (1974)

Former species:[10]

  • M. agrotidis (Sorokīn) Jacz. & P.A. Jacz (1931) = Sorosporella agrotidis, Hypocreales family
  • M. cleoni Wize (1904) = Entomophthora cleoni, Entomophthoraceae
  • M. richteri Bres. & Staritz (1892) = Entomophthora richteri, Entomophthoraceae
  • M. staritzii Bres. (1892) = Entomophthora staritzii, Entomophthoraceae
  • M. tipulae J.P. Porter (1942) = Zoophthora porteri, Entomophthoraceae
  • M. uvella (Krass.) Jacz. & P.A. Jacz (1931) = Sorosporella uvella, Hypocreales

References

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